15.03.13
1% uplift for Agenda for Change staff
All Agenda for Change staff in the NHS are to receive a 1% rise on basic pay from 1st April, the NHS Pay Review Body has recommended.
The decision will affect nurses and paramedics, healthcare assistants, porters and maintenance staff. GPs will receive a 1.3% contract uplift.
Unions have criticised the move, which they say will effectively result in a pay cut following two years of a pay freeze. They also suggest that the PRB must be allowed to operate independently of government.
Jon Skewes, director for policy, employment relations and communications at the Royal College of Midwives, said: “Hard working midwives are going to continue to feel the pain for a third year with the level of inflation continuing to race far higher than their pay.
“The RCM gave strong evidence to the PRB but unfortunately the Government has tied their hands and will not allow the PRB to act independently and award pay based on evidence. We need to see an end to this unfairness and the Government should stop constraining the PRB.”
Rehana Azam, GMB National Officer said: “The recommendations are disappointing, and wholly undermine the Chief Secretary to the Treasury's claim that pay restraint will support quality in the public services.
“Thousands of NHS workers have lost or are losing their jobs through direct redundancies that are taking place across the NHS. At a time when demand is at all time high the government continues to cut NHS funding – the only ones who can hope to benefit from this government are the companies who are helping them carve up the NHS.
The health minister Dr Dan Poulter said pay restraint was “essential” across the public sector.
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